Mowing-machine



(No Model.) D. O. MARKI-IAM.

MOWING MACHINE Patented Mar. 25

N. PETERS Pholoulbomplmr, wuhin mn. I! C- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEVVITT C. MARKHAM, OF COLLINSVILLE, NEWV YORK.

MOWlN-G-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,936, dated March 25, 1890.

Application filed January 24, 1889. Serial No. 297,343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Dnwrrr O. MARKHAM,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 001- linsville, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing-Machines;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to an improvementin direct-draft mowing-machines for aiding the operation of the cutter-bar.

I-Ieretofore, although finger-bars in such ma chines have been held by flexible connections with the frame, so that either end or both ends are free to rise and fall on meeting obstructions, yet the weight of the finger-bar is such that when in operation it requires quite stubborn resistance from some hard object to raise it, and with many obstaolessuch as small tufts, or mounds, or gopher-hills it is simply drawn through, cutting the earth and stones, and thus dulling the knife.

The object of my invention is to relieve the finger-bar greatly of its weight at its end opposite to the end connected to the driving mechanism and to throw its weight more on the frame, and thus render it more free to rise and fall automatically at that point and at the same time be held effectively to its work. This I accomplish by the use of aspring, to connect either of the side arms supporting the ends of the finger-bar with the frame of the machine, of such strength and at such a point as will almost Wholly support or coun terbalance the weight of the bar at its outer end. In addition to this spring and to aid the operation thereof I also employ a taper= ing finger-bar K, which tapers from the end from which the knife-bar is driven to its opposite end, which may be termed its outer end, in order to render it of less weight at that end. 7

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a mowing machine with my improvements attached, and Figs. 2 and 3 details showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, 0 D are side rails connected to the axle B.

E 13 represent the side arms, the arm E connectingwith that end of the finger-bar at which the driving mechanism operating the cutterbarI is located,and F the side arm connecting with the opposite end of the floating fingerbar. The arm E at its upper end is bolted to the rail 0, and is held rigidly in positionin a groove d, cut on the inner side of said rail, by means of a clip M and bolt m. At its lower end the arm E enters the shoe H, which car ries one end of the finger-bar. The arm F is connected at its upper endto the axle by means ofa box S, loosely surrounding the axle and turning freely thereon, passes through the stirrup s, and is pivoted at its lower end to the shoe which carries the opposite end of the fingenbar.

G is a coiled spring one end of which is secured to a lug 7t, cast on the stirrup s, which stirrup is attached to the side rail D and incloses the side arm F. The other end of the spring is straight, and is extended under the side arm F and in such manner and position as will bear stiiiiy against the under side of the arm.

Instead of using a spring on the side just described, one may be put on the other side of the mower to accomplish the same purpose. Thus a spring G may be coiled upon the arm E, with one end thereof secured to the end of the rail 0 and the other end coiled upon and secured on one side of a shoe H in such manner that the spring is held taut upon the arm E, and, the action of the spring being against said arm and against one side of the shoe, the

tendency of the spring is to twist and throw over the shoe, so as to exert an outer upward pressure under that end of the finger-bar, and to thus elevate the opposite end of said bar.

I do not confine myself to the use of any particular form of spring. In Figs. 2 and 3, for instance, I show a flat spring L of semielliptic form. lhe inner curved end is secured to the side rail D and the opposite end is secured to a short chain 6, which is fastened to the arm F.

1, In a direct-draft mowing-machine, in combination with the side rails, the side arms connected to said side rails, the shoes connected to said side arms, and the finger-bar carried by said shoes, a spring on one side of the machine secured at one end to one of the said side rails and its other end arranged to bear stifliy and with an upward pressure against one of the side arms and shoe, whereby the weight of the end of the finger-bar opposite the driving mechanism is partly raised or counterbalanced by the action of the said spring, substantially as described.

2. In a direct-draft mowing-machine, in combination with side rails forming a part of the frame-Work, side arms connected to said rails, shoes connecting said rails to the fingerbar, a tapering finger-bar, and a spring secured at one end to the rail on the side of the \Vitnesscs:

JOSEPH I-I. BLACKWOOD, M. J. HoYT. 

